The subject invention relates to in general to vehicle wheel end assemblies and in particular to an improved shield and seal assembly for use in such a vehicle wheel end assembly.
A portion of a prior art wheel end assembly, indicted generally at 600, is illustrated in prior art FIG. 10. As shown therein, the prior art wheel end assembly 600 includes a prior art casing and seal assembly, indicated generally at 602. The vehicle wheel end assembly 600 is associated with a front left wheel (not shown) of a front wheel non-drive vehicle and includes a unicast hub and disc brake rotor 604, a steering knuckle 606, a pair of bearings (only one of the pair of bearings 608 being illustrated), and a wheel spindle 610.
The unicast hub and rotor 604 includes a wheel hub 612 provided with a centrally located wheel spindle receiving bore 614 formed therein. The bore 614 is of a stepped configuration and includes an inner opened end 616 and an outer opened end (not shown). A first generally cylindrical surface or annular groove 618 is formed adjacent the inner end 616, a second generally cylindrical surface 620 is formed adjacent the first cylindrical surface 618. The first cylindrical surface 618 defines a seat for the casing and seal assembly 602, and the second cylindrical surface 620 defines a bearing seat surface for receiving the inner bearing 608. The wheel spindle 610 includes an flanged inner end 622 and an opposed threaded outer end (not shown). The wheel spindle 610 extends through an opening 624 provided in the steering knuckle 606 and through the bore 614 of the wheel hub 612.
As shown in prior art FIG. 11, the prior art casing and seal assembly 602 includes a generally non-flexible casing 630 and a generally flexible seal 632. The casing 630 is formed from a relatively non-flexible or rigid material, such as for example, steel. If so desired, the casing 630 can be coated with an anti-corrosive outer layer of material, such as for example, gold bond or galvanizing. The casing 630 includes a first leg 640, a second leg 642, a third leg 644, and a fourth leg 646. The first leg 640 extends in a generally radial direction, the second leg 642 extends in a generally axial direction, the third leg 644 extends in a generally axial direction, and the fourth leg 646 extends in a generally radial direction. The first leg 640 and the fourth leg 646 are generally parallel to one another, and the second leg 642 and the third leg 644 are generally parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first leg 640 and the fourth leg 646.
The seal 632 is formed from a generally flexible material, such as for example, an elastomeric material. The seal 632 includes a first end portion 650, a second end portion 652, and an intermediate body 654 connecting the first end portion 650 and the second end portion 652 together. The first end portion 650 defines a grease lip of the seal 632, and the second end portion 652 defines a first dust lip of the seal 632. The body 654 further includes a generally radially inwardly extending portion 656 which defines a second dust lip of the seal 632, and an outer portion 658 having an annular groove or recess 660 provided therein. An end portion 648 of the fourth leg 646 of the casing 630 is disposed in the recess 660 of the casing 630. To accomplish this, the seal 632 is typically molded in situ with the casing 630. As shown in prior art FIG. 10, the casing and seal assembly 602 is disposed in the first cylindrical surface 618 of the wheel hub 612 of the wheel end assembly 600. When assembled, the grease lip 650 is disposed in contact with an adjacent surface 660 of the steering knuckle 606 to keep grease in the bearing area of the wheel end assembly 600, and the first dust lip 652 and the second dust lip 656 are in contact with the adjacent surface 660 of the steering knuckle 606 to prevent debris, such as mud, dirt, water, etc., from entering from the outside into the bearing area of the wheel end assembly 600.
This invention relates to a shield and seal assembly adapted for use in a wheel end assembly of a vehicle and includes a generally non-flexible shield and a generally flexible seal integrally molded in situ with the shield. The shield includes a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, a fourth leg, and a fifth leg. The first leg extends in a generally radially outwardly extending direction, the second leg extends in a generally radial direction, the third leg extends in a generally axial direction, the fourth leg extends in a generally axial direction, and the fifth leg extends in a generally radial direction. The seal includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate body connecting the first end portion and the second end portion together. The first end portion defines a grease lip of the seal, and the second end portion defines a first dust lip of the seal. The body further includes a generally radially inwardly extending portion which defines a second dust lip of the seal, and an outer portion having an annular groove provided therein. The fifth leg of the shield includes an end portion adapted to be disposed in the groove during the molding process.